Hardwood floors can last a lifetime, yet over time may become dull or scratched. Refinishing helps remove scratches, nicks and minor dents to create a fresh base coat for new life in your floor.
This article will outline how to restore hardwood floors without sanding. First, put on protective equipment and prepare your buffer.
Sanding
Many property owners believe that in order to restore their hardwood floors to looking brand new again, sanding and staining must take place. While this may be necessary for floors in desperate disrepair, for those that simply have surface-level scratches and dings and lost sheen a simple buffing should suffice along with an application of fresh finish to make them look as good as new again.
Refinishing wood floors at home is an easy, do-it-yourself project that uses only a buffer and refinishing kit with compatible finishes for existing wood flooring. Refinishing without sanding may not be suitable if there are wax deposits or chemicals on your existing floor that would prevent a new finish from adhering; to test this theory perform a mineral spirit test.
Use a screen and recoat method when applying this type of flooring, by attaching fine abrasive screening to the buffer before running it over the floor surface. This will scuff its surface while helping ensure a solid adhesion for the new finish.
Buffing
For those seeking to revive wood floors without resorting to sanding, buffing can provide a viable alternative. Buffing uses a buffing machine to rough up existing finishes so new coatings will bond more readily with them – and is far less messy than chemical abrasion methods; though still time-consuming.
Before beginning buffing, all furniture and rugs should be cleared from the room to achieve an even and professional result. Furthermore, it’s also important to inspect your hardwood for damage or stains so as to achieve maximum efficiency during this process.
Recoating may not be effective when your floor has deep scratches, dents or noticeable wear patterns; instead, sanding may be needed to restore the wood. To achieve optimal results when finishing hardwood floors, select one designed specifically for these floors from home centers or hardware stores – apply some to an inconspicuous spot to test its compatibility before selecting the product to apply all over.
Polishing
Liquid polish and buffing hardwood floors may help remove scratches and scuff marks along the floor surface, but cannot fill in or polish away deeper stains, dents, or damaged sealant. Furthermore, water and food stains from wooden floors covered with old-fashioned wax, shellac or varnish may prove challenging to eliminate completely.
An alternative option for rejuvenating hardwood floors without incurring heavy dusting costs would be purchasing a chemical abrasion kit or revitalizer from your local store. This method works similarly to sanding but produces much less dust. Plus, it’s quicker and more affordable.
Professionals may employ the screen and recoat technique, in which they buff away existing finishes with a buffer before applying a fresh layer of finish to the floor. This option works well on floors that have not been oversanded too often or heavily worn; however, as it can be potentially risky it is essential to partner with someone experienced with this project.
Waxing
Hardwood floors require regular buffing in order to preserve their shine. By having a buffer at hand, buffing your floors quickly and with minimal dust created can become easier and faster. Experts suggest buffing hardwood floors every 1-2 months in order to maintain an attractive surface finish.
Before buffing a hardwood floor, it is crucial to ensure the finish has not been sealed with wax. To do this, drop a bead of water on the floor and watch its reaction; if it absorbs quickly then this indicates a wax finish.
Refinishing hardwood flooring can be a complex and time-consuming task, which should only be undertaken with proper knowledge. Refinishing is often necessary if your floors have deep scratches, dents or wear in high traffic areas that need attention; buffing and polishes might help fill in minor imperfections but won’t repair damage that has already taken place.